Chad Wingard could miss weeks after surgery on tongue injury

The hits keep coming for Hawthorn as a forward needs surgery, while the Cats will lose an important duo for more than a month.

Chad Wingard’s return time frame is unclear, but the Hawthorn forward needs surgery to fix his lacerated tongue. Picture: Michael Willson / Getty Images

Hawthorn forward Chad Wingard will have surgery on Monday after suffering a gruesome injury against GWS, while Geelong has lost an important duo for the “medium term”.

Wingard bit through his tongue after receiving a stray arm to the mouth in a marking contest late in the second quarter of Hawthorn’s nailbiting two-point loss on Sunday, while Geelong’s Rhys Stanley and Tyson Stengle will be sidelined with fractures sustained in the Cats’ win over West Coast.

The 29-year-old Wingard, who was believed to not be wearing a mouthguard at the time of the incident, was taken to hospital with a lacerated tongue after halftime and then flown back to Melbourne for surgery.

Hawthorn said it would not be clear when Wingard would be able to return until after the surgery.

“Hawthorn forward Chad Wingard will have surgery on Monday afternoon after suffering a lacerated tongue in a horror incident against Greater Western Sydney on Sunday,” a club statement read.

Wingard had three possessions and kicked 0.2 before he was subbed out with the tongue injury late in the second term against GWS. Picture: Sarah Reed / Getty Images

“Wingard’s return to play timing will depend on the surgical outcome and how the Hawks recovers.”

Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell said after the loss Wingard’s situation was “nasty”.

“I saw him at halftime and gave him a bit of a cuddle, but I think he’s got a lacerated tongue which needs surgery, so that sounds horrible to me,” Mitchell said.

“He’ll head back to Melbourne tonight with some of the staff. To be honest, lacerated tongue surgery, I’ve never heard of that before, but I can imagine it’s not feeling that great for him.

“They were waiting for the transport at halftime, so I quickly saw him then, and he’s gone to hospital … I don’t have all the details, but lacerated tongue surgery sounds nasty to me.”

Geelong confirmed on Monday that dynamic forward Tyson Stengle has been ruled out for the “medium term” with a fractured radius, with the 24-year-old to undergo surgery in Melbourne this week.

Rhys Stanley was helped from the ground against West Coast after fracturing his right eye socket, with the ruckman to stay in Adelaide for surgery on Monday. Picture: Dylan Burns / Getty Images

The Cats will also lose Rhys Stanley for a similar time frame, after a scan revealed he suffered a fractured eye socket against the Eagles, requiring surgery in Adelaide on Monday.

“X-rays have shown Geelong forward Tyson Stengle has suffered a fracture of the midshaft of the radius to his left arm, which he sustained in the Club’s match against West Coast on Sunday at Adelaide Oval,” a Geelong statement said.

“Stengle will have surgery in Melbourne in the coming days and is expected to be sidelined for the medium term.

“Ruckman Rhys Stanley has undergone a CT scan which has revealed a fracture of the right eye socket. Stanley will have surgery in Adelaide on Monday and is expected to be sidelined for the medium term.”